I am assembling a new system: EPoX 8KHAL (http://www.epox.nl/english/products/motherboard/ep-8khal.htm) Mainboard, AMD 1800+ XP, 512 MB DDR SDRAM. Temporarily I am using an old NVidia Vanta LT graphics board and all the motherboard jumpers and settings are in the default position. When I power up what happens is the board LED stays permanently on, the speaker gives out continuous long beeps and no signal goes to the monitor.

I have tried with an old PCI video board with the same result. The EPoX FAQ (http://www.epox.com/html/english/support/motherboard/Get.asp?Article=1041) and Phoenix (http://www.phoenix.com/pcuser/awardbios/award_error_codes.html) seem to suggest a RAM problem. I have one single stick of Samsung PC2100 512 DDR and I have no clue what to do next as I have no other system with which I could exchange things for testing.

Any suggestions?

KneadToKnow

06-01-2002, 11:33 AM

There used to be fairly standard beep codes (http://www.computerhope.com/beep.htm) that helped narrow down what was wrong. I don't know if newer motherboards still follow the old codes, or if there are new codes.

KneadToKnow

06-01-2002, 11:34 AM

Shoot. Followed your links too late. Never mind.

astro

06-01-2002, 12:27 PM

Beyond memory issues you might have a CPU config or grounding issue.

Make sure the CPU is seated correctly and any switches or jumpers are set and seated correctly relative to the CPU requirements. Make sure the dip switches are postively "on" or "off". I know you're pretty careful about this but double check anyway.

Re grounding remove the MB from the case or put a piece of cardboard under it between the case and the bottom of the board. If it starts you have a grounding issue and will have to use plastic standoffs between the case and board.

In case the BIOS has some goofy non-default setting remove the BIOS backup battery and short the jumper (if one exists) that resets the BIOS parameters.

Also make sure no cards other than the video card are onboard when you starting it up for the first time.

astro

06-01-2002, 12:44 PM

As a side note you would be better off "forcing" the CPU definition by setting the config dip switches to the required CPU and BUS freq specs for the Athlon 1800 instead of letting the board auto configure. Also if you spent extra on "ECC" DDR memory you're screwed as the board will not work with this type.

sailor

06-01-2002, 07:28 PM

Astro, I have tried setting the dip switches to specific settings and it stops the beeping but still nothing happens. I feel quite helpless.

Silentgoldfish

06-01-2002, 07:36 PM

Sounds like a memory thing. My motherboard is very tempermental about memory. I'm mean to be able to go higher that 310megs of RAM but if I do the monitor stops getting a signal.

handy

06-02-2002, 11:29 AM

I would ask or read this newsgroup:
Newsgroups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.epox

Tons of messages there already for you sailor.

sailor

06-02-2002, 02:04 PM

Thanks Handy. I am also asking in Hardforum.com but I think I am pretty much at the end of the line where I need to test the three components (MoBo, CPU, RAM) separately and I have no way of doing that. I may be stuck with a very expensive doorstop.

Gozu Tashoya

06-02-2002, 06:12 PM

You might also want to try the Anandtech forums. Bring a book, though, 'cause at rush hour, their forums make SDMB load times seem like nothin'.

sailor

06-03-2002, 12:15 PM

I tested the DDR RAM separately and it is OK. I tested the Processor on another board and it works OK. I tested the motherboard with another processor (DURON), and it works OK. . . so, apparently, what we have is some incompatibility or problem between the AMD XP1800+ and the EP-8KHAL board. Any ideas?

astro

06-03-2002, 01:48 PM

Perusing Google's newsgroup search function, according to some newsgroups there are apparently some serious compatibility and stability issues using your MB with AMD XP+ chips. The board is not real happy with the faster (1700+) XP+ chips and there is apparently a new 8KHA+ version of the MB that does better with the XP+ chips.

With the Duron installed update the MB BIOS to the latest version and see if that solves your problem. Also with higher speed chips the board is (according to Epox newsgroups) much picker about compatible memory.

astro

06-03-2002, 01:49 PM

Perusing Google's newsgroup search function, according to some newsgroups there are apparently some serious compatibility and stability issues using your MB with AMD XP+ chips. The board is not real happy with the faster (1700+) XP+ chips and there is apparently a new 8KHA+ version of the MB that does better with the XP+ chips.

With the Duron installed update the MB BIOS to the latest version and see if that solves your problem. Also with higher speed chips the board is (according to Epox newsgroups) much pickier about compatible memory.

astro

06-03-2002, 03:21 PM

Per this not (http://www.epox.com/html/english/support/motherboard/Get.asp?Article=1051)while you have it up with the Duron chip you may also want to try setting your memory timings manually.

I had a motherboard do that to me once, it turned out to be unhappy with the video card, very unhappy. Long beeps at startup, with no startup and no video was the syptoms.

handy

06-03-2002, 07:50 PM

"Long beeps at startup, with no startup and no video was the syptoms."

Me too, turned out I didn't complete the PCI slots in order & there was an empty on in front. (bear in
mind I cant hear the beeps)
Some told me this is baloney, but it worked only when I put a card in the first slot, then the second,
etc.

So, is getting another board part of the option for you sailor?

sailor

06-04-2002, 01:19 PM

handy, I've had that happen in the past, where shifting boards in PCI slots made a difference but in this case there are no PCI boards as there is only an AGP board.

astro, thanks for that info although I wish I could have had it *before* I bought the board. Oh well, too late. Anyway, for now I have returned it and told them to get it to work or refund my money. They told me they assemble that board and processor all the time and have no problems but they could be "exagerating" (I mean "making it up"). In a couple of days I'll have the answer from them. I'll let you know how it turns out.